Spinning top with bead chain swivel



May 26, 1953 G. D. SHOCKEY SPINNING TOP WITH BEAD CHAIN SWIVEL Filed May17, 1949 INVENTOR. GLEN DEE SHocKEY A T TOR/Vi ya Patented May 26, 1953UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPINNING TOP WITH BEAD CHAIN SWIVEL Glen DeeShockey, Santa Fe County, N. Mex. Application May 17, 1949, Serial No.93,725

8 Claims. (01. 46-456) This invention relates to spinning tops, and moreparticularly to tops set in motion by a cord that encircles the body ofthe top.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a top that can bespun at higher speeds than prior tops and without wear on the cord usedin spinning it.

Another object resides in the provision of improved low-cost means forpermitting a top to be spun by different spinning methods. Still anotherobject is to provide an improved top of the type which is thrown inorder to start its spinning motion. Other objects and advantages willappear as this description proceeds.

One form of my top employs a bead chain which is arranged so that it canextend above the top and along the axis thereof. The lower end of thebead chain connects to the body of the top and the upper end isdetachably connected to one end of the driving cord. The bead chain actsas a swivel and enables the top to rotate after it has been spun,without rotation of the cord. Said bead chain passes through a verticalcylindrical opening at the upper end of the top, a portion of the chainextending above the top when the chain i in use. The arrangement is suchthat the chain may be retracted from its position where part thereofextends above the body of the top. That arrangement in one form includesa hollow tube with music-producing holes therein, the tube extendinginside the hollow top body and along the axis of the top. The insidediameter of the tube is sufiiciently small that when the bead chain isretracted into the music tube, the chain remains aligned in a verticalposition so that if the top is inverted the upper end of the bead-chainwill again emerge from the upper end of the body of the top.

Therefore in said oneform of the invention, when it is desired to spinthe top without using the bead chain the top is merely held in anupright position and the bead chain drops into the music tube. On theother hand, in event it is desired to spin the top by throwing it, thetop is inverted and part of the bead chain emerges from the opening inthe top and the cord may be attached to the chain. The completedescription which follows sets forth further details on this and theother forms of this invention.

Furthermore the following description explains in detail how mycombination of parts, including a bead chain with '7 or 8 beads, enablesthe top to be spun at very high speeds compared with prior art tops, andwith practically no wear on the driving cord.

In the drawings: V

Figure 1 is a front view of one form of the invention, the top beingarranged to be spun by throwing it.

Figure 2 is a front view of the same top shown in Figure 1 but when itis arranged to be spun while the pivot of the top is on a flat surface.Figure 2a is a cross-sectional view of Figure 2 taken along line 2-2.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the pivot element aboutwhich the top spins.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of another form of the invention,with the lower pivot removed.

Figure 5 is a side view of the top shown in Figure 4, the top beingarranged to be spun by throwing it.

Figure 6 is a side view of the top shown in Figure 5, the top beingarranged to be spun while the pivot of the top is on a fiat surface.

Figure '1 is a crosssectional exploded view of still another form of theinvention, the top being arranged to be spun by throwing it.

Figure 8 is a side view of the top of Figure '7 in which the top isarranged to be spun while its pivot is located on a flat surface.

Figure 9 is a side view of a plug that may be inserted in the openingsat the upper ends of the tops to prevent dirt from entering.

Figure 10 is a detailed cross-section view of a bead-chain and clipsuitable for use in connection with the invention.

Reference is made to my prior abandoned application Serial No. 537,687,filed May 27, 1944, entitled Spinning Top which shows a device involvingsome of the principles disclosed and claimed herein.

Referring in detail to Figures 1 to 3, the top comprises a solid Woodbody [2, having a metal pivot l3 at the base thereof. A verticalcylindrical hole l4 extends into the body of the top for approximatelyone-fourth inch and finally opens through the side wall of the top atl5. A bead chain mo, hereinafter fully described, may he slipped intoand removed from hole l4 through opening l5, the bead-chain Hi0 havinglarge ball I6 at one end thereof to hold the bead chain in position.Ball 86 is smaller than opening 55 but larger in diameter than hole Hi.

When the bead chain Hill is in the position of Figure 1, the cord 0 maybe attached thereto through the medium of resilient clip Iii! which ispermanently fastened to the cord C, and which may be detachablyconnected to the bead-chain I00 in the Well known manner.

When it is desired to start the spinning motion of the top while thelatter is on a flat surface such as floor F, the clip I0! is removedfrom bead-chain I00 and cord C wound around the base of the top as shownin Figure 2. The bead chain Hill is removed from the top through openingI5.

When it is desired to spin the top of Figure 1 by throwing it, beadchain I00 is fed through opening 15 and hole Hi and then connected tocord C by clip 10!. The cord is then wound around the base of the top asshown in Figure 1.

With the top wound as shown, the operator may throw the top while theouter end of the cord C is held in fixed position by the button orfinger piece P. The top will thereupon spin rapidly in the air. Ifdesired, the operator while holding the top in the air as it isspinning, may allow pivot l3 to engage the floor in which event the topwill spin in the ordinary manner.

The bead-chain is fully illustrated in Figure l0 and employs a pluralityof hollowsphenieal balls I64 connected together by short rods [03. Therods enter holes in the balls I 02 and the portions I of the rods in theballs are somewhat enlarged. Hence, the bead chain It!) is quiteflexible and has a plurality of swivels along the length thereof.

I am familiar with certain tops of the prior art employing swivels atthe upper end of the top in order to permit the top to spin withouttwisting the .cord. However, these prior art devicesdo notemploybead-chains, and as will soon appear a top with a bead chain is a vastimp ov me ove on sing m r l an or ina y swivel.

With the bead-chain 100, several beads extend above the upper .end ofthe top and since such a chain is quite flexible the outer bead takes upan axis in whatever direction the cord C leaves the outer bead. Duringspinning of the top, after it has been placed on the floor, the cord Cis not always held in a perfectly vertical position, but due to the beadchain the upper few beads of the bead chain will align themselves withthe cord C whatever its alignment may be. As a result the top will stillspin without any twisting of the cordC even if a large amount of slackis allowed to exist in the eordC. Even more important, during the actofthrowing the top in order to start its spinning motion, the cord C doesnot take a position in alignment with the axis of the top for aSubstantial time after .the top is rapidly rota-ting. The flexible beadchain enables the top to be thrown and thereby spun, without anytwisting of the cord C, and with much greater emciency than can priorart tops. These results are due to the fact that bead chain Hill is notonly flexible but has a plurality of swivels along the length thereof.

When a bead chain is employed and the top spun by throwing it, the .topafter it starts rotating can be placed on the floor in a shorter timethan can prior art tops and with less loss of the kinetic energyavailable to keep the top in motion.

When the number of effective beads of the chain i seven or eight(over-all length l to l.25 inches) the top will spin much longer than ifth number of beads used is only two or three. The great advantage of theinvention is therefore apparent when it is realized that the prior artswivels are no more than the equal of a single swivel of my bead chain.A long bead chain also reduces the wear on cord C.

The top shown in Figures 4 to 6 includes the bead chain Hill connectedby .clip [0| to cord C. The ball 16 at the lower end of the chainengages the lower end of helical spring 48, the upper end of whichspring is restrained from upward.- motion by shoulder 4 I. Otherwise thetop-ofFigure 4 is similar to that of Figure 1. The top of Figure 4 whenarranged as in Figure 5 may be used the same as described in connectionwith Fi ur Land the top of Fi ure 4 he ar an d asin Figure 6 may be usedthesameasdescribed in connectionwithil li f re After the top of Figure 5has been spun, the cord may be jerked vertically while the top isspinning in the air. The coil spring 4|, under these circumstances, willgive the top an .unusual bouncing motion.

When the top is used as contemplated in Figure 6, the coil spring 4!will partially retract the head-chain .1110 into the body of the top andfrom that position the chain ID!) will fall due to gravity GQmpletel-yinto the body of the top where it will in no wise interfere with theoperation of the top. *If and when it is desired to restore the top tothe condition of Figure 5 it is merely necessary to invert the top andgravity will pull a short portion of the bead chain I00 from the body ofthe top. Clip ml may then be attached to the bead chain I09 and the topis then ready for the usecontemplated in connection with Figure 5.

In Figure 7a musical top hasa two piece plastic outer shell T0.-llhaving an inner cork insert l2 rigidly fixed to the inner wall of shell10. An inner perforated music tube 73 surrounds the vertical axis of thetop. The upper shell '52 also has perforations of which '14 is anexample. When the top of Figure 7 is assembled the upper end of tube 13approaches the lower surface 18 of the shell II. The bead chain Hi3extends through hole l] and is prevented from being pulled out of thehole due to the tension in cord C by ball 16. The u per and lower shellsmay, if desired, be permanently fastened together.

The top of Figure 7 may be used in the mannerdescribed in connectionwith the top of Figure 1, but in addition music is produced by holes intube 13 and by holes 14. Air flows to the inside of tube 13 throughopening 71 and therefore if the operator after he has the top spinningon the floor should raise or lower the cord 0 which in turn raises orlowers ball I6 he can to some degree control the music produced by tube13.

When the operator desires to use the top as in Figure 8 he merelyremoves clip [0| and allows beadechain [0,0 to fall by gravity into themusic tube 13. The bead-chain I00 is then inert and does not interferewith the spinning of the top in the conventional fashion.

Should the operator desire to restore the top to the form of Figure 7 hemerely inverts it, thus allowing bead chain to emerge from hole 11. Theclip i0] is then attached.

In all forms of the invention the vertical hole through which the beadchain N10 extends is smallenough so that the chain will not kink in thehole. The importance of this can best be seen in Figure 7. When thechain I08 is not in use so it is residing inert in the music tube 13 itis desirable that the beads of the chain rest verticallyabove each otherso that upon inverting the top the chain I09 will smartly emerge fromhole 11. Therefore it is necessary that the vertical opening 11 in theupper shell and the vertical opening in tube 13 be so small in diameterthat the bead chain will stand substantially along the vertical axis ofthe top when the top is upright and chain J00 disconnected from cliplOl.

Dueto the fact that the vertical holes iILall forms of the invention areso small that the chain will notfkink therein, the bead-chain will notkink in the hole in the event that during operation of the top there issubstantial slack l we n cord C b t p rat .In Figur here i sh wn a plusH I, wh ch may cover the vertical hole at the upper end of th several otons when the a e n in use the plug J not in us and wh n the tops arespun according to the showings of Figures 2, 6 and 8, a rod or othersimilar device may be inserted vertically in the hole to act as an upperpivot.

It is obvious from the foregoing that my improved tophas many advantagesover tops employing simple swivels at the upper ends thereof.

I claim to have invented:

1. A musical top comprising a hollow body portion symmetrical about theaxis thereof, said body portion having openings in the wall thereof, apivot extending outwardly from a first end of the body portion andcoaxial therewith, a cylindrical music tube located within said bodyportion and coaxial therewith, said music tube extending from said firstend of said body portion to a position close to the inner wall of thebody portion which is opposite said first end, said tube having aplurality of openings in the side wall thereof, said body portiondefining an axial opening in the Wall opposite said first end, saidaxial opening being of smaller cross-section than the inside diameter ofsaid tube, a bead-chain of shorter length than said tube and including aball located in said tube, the said ball being of larger dimension in aplane perpendicular to said axis than is said axial opening, said beadchain including a series of links extending through said axial opening,said series also including a plurality of links located outside or" saidbody portion, each link of the series including a flexible swivelconnection to the next link, the outer bead of the chain beingattachable to the end of driving cord, said tube and said axial openingbeing of such small dimensions in a plane perpendicular to said axisthat the bead chain can not kink therein, and of dimensions larger thanthe dimensions of the beads of the chain so that when the body portionis in upright position and with the driving cord unattached the beadchain will fall into the music tube standing upright and when the bodyportion is inverted that the outer end of the bead chain will emergefrom the axial opening.

2. A top comprising a body portion symmetrical about the axis thereof, apivot extending away from said portion along said axis, said bodyportion defining an elongated axial opening extending a limited distanceinto said body portion from that end thereof opposite said pivot, a beadchain comprising a plurality of beads each connected to the next one bya flexible swivel connection, said chain extending through said axialopening and out the open end thereof, means for limiting the outwardmotion of the bead chain to prevent the chain from completely leavingsaid opening, said opening having a larger diameter than said beads tothereby per- Im't the bead chain to move along the axis of the openingin response to the pull of gravity, said opening having a sufiicientlysmall diameter that said beads will not kink therein, and a driving corddetachably connected to the outermost bead of the chain.

3. The top defined in claim 2 in which said head chain has shorterlength than said axial opening whereby when the cord is disconnected thebead chain may be completely retracted into said opening.

4. A top comprising a body portion symmetrical about an axis thereof; apivot at one end of the top and in alignment with said axis; a beadchain comprising a series of at least three beads; the body portiondefining a hole of larger diameter than the beads of said chain theupper end of which hole is coaxial with said body portion; said beadchain extending into said hole and having one end of the bead chainmovable to a position outside the upper end of the hole; means to limitthe outward motion of the bead chain comprising a part larger than thehole and connected to the other end of the chain; said bead chain beingcomposed of holloi beads each head having two holes therein, and rigidrods connecting adjacent beads together, each rod extending into holesin the beads it connects together and each rod having each end thereofwithin a bead enlarged to thus prevent the rod from leaving the bead;and a cord dctachably connected to the bead at the upper end of thechain, the bead chain being short as compared to the length of the cord.

5. A top which may be spun either with or without the driving cordattached to it while it is spinning comprising a body portionsymmetrical about the axis thereof and including a pivot extending awayfrom one end of the body portion, said body portion including anelongated cylindrical opening extending coaxial with the body portion,an elongated bead chain having beads of smaller diameter than saidopening, said bead chain being of shorter length than said opening sothat the bead chain may be retained wholly within said opening While thetop is operated without the use of said bead chain, said bead chainincluding means for retaining at least a part of the bead chain in saidopening when the top is inverted, said bead chain being or" such lengththat a portion thereof will emerge from the opening when the top isinverted, and a driving cord including means at one end thereof toconnect and disconnect that end to the portion of the bead chain thatemerges from said opening.

8. The top of claim 5 in which the opening is of sufiiciently smalldiameter that the bead chain will not kink therein.

'7. A top as defined in claim 4 in which said hole extends axiallydownward from the upper end of the body portion and then curves andextends through the side wall of said body portion, the bead chain beinglonger than said hole.

8. A top as defined in claim 4 in which said hole extends along the axisof said body portion, the cross-section of said hole abruptly increasingat a predetermined distance below the upper end of the body portion thusforming a shoulder, the first-named means including a helical spring ofa diameter larger than the upper part of the hole and smaller than theportion of the hole below the shoulder, said part being larger than theinside diameter of the helical spring and located below the same, thebead chain extending along the axis of the body portion from said partto a position outside the entrance to the hole at the upper end of thebody portion.

GLEN DEE SHOCKEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 55,666 Jones et a1 June 19, 1866 226,958 Barry Apr. 27, 1880310,574 Fry Jan. 13, 1885 425,368 Cole Apr. 8, 1890 455,104 JimenezeJune 80, 1891 541,802 Barus June 25, 1895 1,278,208 Pruitt Sept. 10,1918 1,966,895 Kuhns July 17, 1934 2,535,157 Radovan Dec. 26, 1950

